Navy officer rejects Trump offer to be national security advisor

A former navy admiral reportedly tapped by President Donald Trump to be his national security advisor has declined the post, US media said on Thursday.

Robert Harward's rejection of the position leaves the Trump administration without a replacement for Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign earlier this week amid a scandal over pre-inauguration phone conversations he allegedly had with Russian officials.

In a statement read on CNN, Harward said he had turned down the job because he "could not make that commitment."

"This job requires 24 hours a day, seven days a week focus and commitment to do it right. I currently could not make that commitment," the statement read.

The rejection capped a riotous day for the 70-year-old US president, who earlier Thursday lambasted his critics in the media and in politics in a wide-ranging one hour, 16-minute-long press conference.